This invention relates generally to a cam buckle system for interconnecting a strap or other tension member to alter the length thereof, and has particular utility in connection with a ski pole grip and strap adjustment system.
Adjustment buckles which interconnect a strap or other tension member allow the length of the strap to be adjusted and tightened around an object. Most adjustment buckles require or are easiest to adjust with two hands. Cam buckles have a handle which the user grasps in his hand and moves upwardly to open clamping teeth which engage the strap when the buckle is locked. The strap is then slidably moved to a tight position, and the user then moves the handle to a closed position to lock the strap in place. In typical adjustment buckles, it is very difficult to perform these operations with a single hand, or in a manner which maintains a tightened position for the strap until it is locked in position.
Adjustment buckles are used to interconnect the wrist strap of a ski pole grip. Most adjustable buckles are intended to be adjusted using two hands, before the skier inserts his hands into the straps in order to use the ski poles. It is generally desirable that the strap be maintained rather snugly around the skier""s gloved hand while grasping the ski pole grip. Unfortunately, it is difficult for a gloved hand to enter and exit a snug strap, particularly because the glove is flexible and squishable, and a sufficiently snug fit will partially embed the strap into the glove and make entry and exit difficult. Known types of adjustable buckles which can be adjusted by a free gloved hand while the other gloved hand is secured by a strap have been clumsy and inadequate to allow easy entry and secure tightening of the strap by the free gloved hand.
Ski pole grips may have a platform at the bottom of the handle to partially support the heel of the skier""s gloved hand. This allows the ski pole to be firmly planted in the snow while making a turn or to partially support the skier""s weight such as when moving skis in a skating motion across level terrain. It would be desirable to provide a ski pole grip in which the heel support for the gloved hand is provided by a looped strap rather than a lower base member on the elongated handle. Some ski pole grips are known in which a strap extends from the top of the handle to the bottom of the handle in order to clamp the gloved hand against the elongated handle. Such two point attachment systems tend to clamp the hand against the elongated handle in a fall and undesirable twisting motion of the ski pole can be transferred to the hand and wrist. In a fall, it is desirable that the strap system should provide only a single attachment point so that the ski pole is free to rotate without forcing a rotation of the skier""s hand and wrist. In addition, the strap system should serve to retain the ski pole to the skier""s wrist so that the ski pole is not lost during a fall.
For these reasons, a single point attachment of a strap loop to the ski pole grip is very desirable. Unfortunately, such a single point attachment system does not provide a firm heel support for the skier""s gloved hand unless the strap loop is adjusted snugly around the gloved hand. Such a snug adjustment, however, makes the strap loop difficult to enter and exit. As a result, it is common to see a wrist strap which is too loose to adequately support the skier""s hand when the ski pole is in use. Alternatively, a feasible system must recognize that the skier will be repeatedly exiting the retention strap at the end of each run, such as when getting ready to enter a chair lift when the ski poles should be removed from the skier""s hand and wrist.
A common problem, particularly with beginning skiers, is that the retention loop strap may be improperly utilized. When a retention strap loop has a single point attachment at the top of the handle, it drapes downwardly over the handle portion. Some skiers will attempt to enter the loop from the xe2x80x9ctopxe2x80x9d portion and grasp the handle. To properly support the skier""s gloved hand both during use and in a fall, the loop retention strap should be entered from the xe2x80x9cbottomxe2x80x9d upwardly, after which the gloved hand grasps the grip and a portion of the strap which is pressed against the grip. Because of the manner of attachment of the looped strap and how it hangs from the upper portion of the grip, it is not apparent to many skiers how the retention strap should be properly entered and utilized.
It is desirable that a ski pole grip and strap system be universal, meaning that it is not necessary to produce a separate right hand grip and left hand grip. The problem with most universal grips, however, is that they do not adequately support the anatomy of the right hand and the left hand when holding a pair of ski poles. Also, such universal systems commonly do not provide the necessary heel support for a downward pole plant unless they have symmetrical extensions at the base of the handle. To provide a universal platform support for both the right hand and left hand, however, the width of the bottom of the handle is unduly wide, and the length of the handle must be a compromise to fit many hand sizes. Thus, there is a need for a universal ski pole grip and strap system which will accommodate the different sizes of a human hand and the different anatomy of the right hand and left hand of the skier, and yet provide the performance advantages of ski pole grips which are tailored for the right hand and left hand of a skier.
In accordance with the present invention, a unique cam buckle system allows easy adjustment of strap length and secure locking and opening of the buckle using motions of a single hand rather than both hands as has been typical before. The adjustable buckle has a lever arm which slidably captures a strap in a manner to allow easy adjustment of the strap length by pulling the strap for tensioning around an object. Importantly, while the strap is held in its tensioned position, the free end of the strap can be manipulated to securely lock the cam buckle without loosening of the tension. An opposite movement of the free end of the strap will open the cam lock.
The adjustable buckle system which allows easy and quick tightening of the strap as well as locking or opening of the buckle has particular utility in connection with a novel ski pole grip and strap system. A ski pole handle has a single point strap attachment system at the top of the handle. The buckle interconnects a pair of strap portions into a loop which can be readily tightened or loosened around a gloved hand. Furthermore, a free end of the strap extending from the buckle can be readily grasped by the opposite gloved hand and manipulated to tighten and lock the retention strap with continuous movements of the opposite hand while the gloved hand is gripping the ski pole handle. As a result, the strap system can be tightened so that the looped strap forms a heel support for the bottom of the skier""s gloved hand during pole plants. When desired, the buckle system can be readily opened and lengthened to release the skier""s hand, such as to remove the ski poles to use a chair lift. The ski pole grip is universal and fits a wide variety of hand sizes, as well as accommodating the right hand and left hand of the skier while still properly supporting the right and left hands during pole plants. The single point attachment for the pair of strap portions is removable and allows customization if desired by the skier.
Because of the manner of quick and secure adjustment of the strap length, the ski pole grip and strap system is more likely to be properly adjusted for optimum performance. In addition, the single point attachment to the handle orients the pair of straps vertically and also opens the straps to allow easier entry of the gloved hand into retention loop. The system includes removable parts which can be interconnected differently should the skier desire to optimize the system for custom performance including the creation of right hand and left hand versions from the ski grip which can be manufactured as a universal part.